InPilot

inpilot

The special Startups of The Year 2024 Winners Interview series is a celebration of all this year’s Tech Champions. You’ve earned it! The HackerNoon community can’t wait to learn more about your journey! The special Startups of The Year 2024 Winners Interview series is a celebration of all this year’s Tech Champions. You’ve earned it! The HackerNoon community can’t wait to learn more about your journey! The special Startups of The Year 2024 Winners Interview series is a celebration of all this year’s Tech Champions. You’ve earned it! The HackerNoon community can’t wait to learn more about your journey! Winner Page!! Winner Page!! Winner Page!! Tell us about you. Wise Market is a North American tech company building the next generation of intelligent B2B supply chain infrastructure. Our mission is to simplify procurement for businesses while helping manufacturers reach qualified buyers directly. We connect both sides of the supply chain — buyers and global manufacturers — through a unified platform powered by AI, real-time data, and predictive automation. We envision a future where supply chains are streamlined, resilient, and accessible — replacing fragmented, manual processes with intelligent, efficient and transparent collaboration. Tell us how your startup is changing the world. Wise Market is redefining how the world sources, buys and moves goods. We’re building an AI-powered B2B platform that eliminates inefficiencies, reduces costs, and strengthens global supply chains — especially for the small and mid-sized businesses often left behind. By enabling direct access to manufacturers, real-time demand aggregation and predictive sourcing, we give businesses the tools to make smarter decisions and operate more sustainably. Our ultimate goal is to become the intelligent infrastructure that powers global trade — making supply chains faster, more transparent, and radically more resilient. What sets you apart from the competition? Wise Market stands apart by combining deep tech with real-world supply chain impact. We’re not just listing suppliers — we’re building an intelligent infrastructure that predicts demand, consolidates purchasing power and automates sourcing from end to end. Our platform is uniquely dual-sided, serving both buyers and manufacturers, with real-time visibility, blockchain-based traceability, and AI-driven negotiation tools. What makes us truly different is our focus: we’re not trying to serve everyone — we’re built to empower the underserved backbone of the economy: small and mid-sized businesses. What does it mean for you to win this title? Winning the title of Startup of the Year 2024 in Delaware City was unexpected, to be honest — we’re still in pilot mode — but incredibly energizing. It highlights the ongoing effort we’re putting into building a meaningful tech solution to real-world supply chain challenges. This recognition fuels us to keep innovating, growing, and pushing boundaries for the businesses we’re here to empower. We’re incredibly grateful to the HackerNoon community and everyone who voted. This win isn’t just for us — it’s for all the underestimated teams quietly but boldly building behind the scenes. What do you love about your team, and why are you the ones to set out for this mission? I love how our small, tight-knit team — along with our collaborators — shares the drive to rethink how the world sources, moves, and connects. We’re agile, fast, and deeply collaborative. For us, innovation isn’t just about features — it’s about asking the right questions, testing bold ideas and staying obsessed with creating real value for the businesses we serve. We’re not just building a product — we’re building the future of procurement. And it’s because of this team that we truly believe we’ll get there. Looking back, what milestone was the biggest turning point for your startup? In the early days, we were spinning our wheels — chasing revenue from side markets just to avoid burning cash too fast. Our biggest turning point came when we stopped trying to sell and stepped away from adjacent markets that distracted us from our real mission. Instead, we laser-focused on the product and how our solution could simplify the real-life operations of our customers. We leaned into what made us different: demand aggregation, predictive sourcing, and direct manufacturer access. That shift resonated deeply with our early partners — not because we had all the features, but because we were solving the right pain points. We’re still in pilot mode, but product–user alignment became clear the moment we started co-designing with them. Lesson learned: Product–market fit isn’t about features or timelines — it’s about listening hard, adapting fast, and having the courage to stay focused on what actually matters. Lesson learned What’s one valuable lesson you learned this year that you’d pass on to other startups? Speed isn’t just about building fast — it’s about focusing fast. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Learn to say no — to distractions, to noise, to anything that doesn’t align with your core mission. The moment we focused relentlessly on solving one real problem for one real user group, momentum started to build. In 2025, we’re looking forward to scaling that focus — expanding with intention, deepening our AI capabilities, and turning our pilot successes into lasting impact across the supply chain industry. How do you envision your industry evolving in the coming years, and how will your startup stay ahead? Global supply chains are shifting from reactive and fragmented to intelligent, connected, and resilient — and that transformation is accelerating. In the coming years, we’ll see massive adoption of AI-driven procurement, real-time data collaboration, and decentralized sourcing models that reduce dependency on single regions or intermediaries. Regulatory pressure, climate risk, and geopolitical uncertainty will force businesses to rethink not just how they buy, but from whom, where, and why. Wise Market is built for that future. By combining predictive AI, direct access to manufacturers, and a platform that centralizes procurement intelligence, we’re enabling businesses — especially SMEs — to act faster, smarter, and more sustainably. Our edge will come from staying close to the real pain points, building with users, and scaling with purpose. How do you or your company intend to embrace the responsibility of this title in 2025? This recognition fuels our determination to go further. In 2025, we intend to use this momentum to keep building with purpose- and prove that bold ideas from lean teams can reshape entire industries. We’ll continue to challenge outdated procurement models and push forward an intelligent, inclusive and more resilient supply chain for businessess of all sizes. Our goal is to turn this title into real traction- driving more trust, more partnerships and meaningful impact. What goals are you looking forward to accomplishing in 2025? Our key goals for 2025 include: Successfully scaling from pilot to live deployment with our early partners
Expanding manufacturer integrations across the world within our initial target market segment
Deepening our AI capabilities for smarter demand prediction and sourcing automation
Strengthening our platform’s supply chain traceability through blockchain technology
Securing strategic partnerships and funding to accelerate market adoption Successfully scaling from pilot to live deployment with our early partners Expanding manufacturer integrations across the world within our initial target market segment Deepening our AI capabilities for smarter demand prediction and sourcing automation Strengthening our platform’s supply chain traceability through blockchain technology Securing strategic partnerships and funding to accelerate market adoption Every milestone we reach brings us closer to our vision: making intelligent procurement accessible, sustainable, and scalable for businesses of all sizes. 2024 has been crazy, with all the new techs, and all the geopolitics fluctuations. What are the impacts of these to your startup, and to your industry as a whole? Be as brief or as detailed as you like. 2024 — just like 2021, when the idea first took root — has been another wake-up call for global supply chains. Geopolitical tensions, inflation, and instability reminded businesses — especially SMEs — that relying on a fragile, centralized procurement model is no longer viable. At the same time, the explosion of AI and automation opened new doors to rethink how we operate. For Wise Market, it confirmed that we’re solving the right problem, at the right time. We doubled down on building a platform that helps companies anticipate instead of react — through predictive sourcing, diversified supplier access, and real-time visibility. In 2024, the chaos didn’t slow us down. It gave our mission more clarity — and more urgency. We would love your feedback on HackerNoon as a tech publication! How has your experience been with us? HackerNoon is a rare platform that truly gives a voice to builders. As a startup, we’ve appreciated the visibility, the storytelling freedom, and the opportunity to connect with a global tech audience without gatekeepers. Winning Startup of the Year 2024 through your community-driven process gave us a huge boost — not just in visibility, but in validation. It’s empowering to see a platform that values ​​emerging voices, deep tech thinking and real-world impact. Thanks for making space for startups like ours to be seen and heard! Any words of wisdom you’d like to share with us? Big vision. Solve one real problem. Obsessively & relentlessly. Oh! And at some point, stop listening to everyone. Too much advice kills clarity. About HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year
Startups of The Year 2024 is HackerNoon’s flagship community-driven event celebrating startups, technology, and the spirit of innovation. Currently in its third iteration, the prestigious Internet award recognizes and celebrates tech startups of all shapes and sizes. This year, over 150,000 entities across 4200+ cities, 6 continents, and 100+ industries will participate in a bid to be crowned the best startup of the year! Millions of votes have been cast over the past few years, and many stories have been written about these daring and rising startups.
The winners will get a free interview on HackerNoon and an Evergreen Tech Company Newspage.Visit our FAQ page to learn more.
Download our design assets here.Check out the Startups of the Year Merch Shop here.HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year is a branding opportunity unlike any other. Whether your goal is brand awareness or lead generation, HackerNoon has curated startup-friendly packages to solve your marketing challenges.
Meet our sponsors:
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Hubspot: If you’re looking for a smart CRM platform that meets the needs of small businesses, look no further than HubSpot. Seamlessly connect your data, teams and customers in one easy-to-use scalable platform that grows with your business. Get started for free.Bright Data: Startups that leverage public web data can make faster, data-driven decisions, giving them a competitive edge. With Bright Data’s scalable web data collection, businesses can grow from a small operation to an enterprise by harnessing insights at every stage.
Algolia: Algolia NeuralSearch is the world's only AI end-to-end Search and Discovery Platform combining powerful keyword and natural language processing in a single API. About HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year Startups of The Year 2024 is HackerNoon’s flagship community-driven event celebrating startups, technology, and the spirit of innovation. Currently in its third iteration, the prestigious Internet award recognizes and celebrates tech startups of all shapes and sizes. This year, over 150,000 entities across 4200+ cities, 6 continents, and 100+ industries will participate in a bid to be crowned the best startup of the year! Millions of votes have been cast over the past few years, and many stories have been written about these daring and rising startups. Startups of The Year 2024 many stories The winners will get a free interview on HackerNoon and an Evergreen Tech Company Newspage. free interview Evergreen Tech Company Newspage Visit our FAQ page to learn more. FAQ Download our design assets here. here Check out the Startups of the Year Merch Shop here. here HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year is a branding opportunity unlike any other. Whether your goal is brand awareness or lead generation, HackerNoon has curated startup-friendly packages to solve your marketing challenges. startup-friendly packages Meet our sponsors: Meet our sponsors: Wellfound:. Join the #1 global, startup-focused community. At Wellfound, we're not just a job board—we're the place where top startup talent and the world's most exciting companies connect to build the future. Wellfound: Join the #1 global, startup-focused community Notion: Notion is trusted and loved by thousands of startups as their connected workspace—from building product roadmaps to tracking fundraising. Try Notion with unlimited AI, FREE for up to 6 months, to build and scale your company with one powerful tool. Get your offer now! Notion: Try Notion with unlimited AI, FREE for up to 6 months Get your offer now ! Hubspot: If you’re looking for a smart CRM platform that meets the needs of small businesses, look no further than HubSpot. Seamlessly connect your data, teams and customers in one easy-to-use scalable platform that grows with your business. Get started for free. Hubspot: Get started for free Bright Data: Startups that leverage public web data can make faster, data-driven decisions, giving them a competitive edge. With Bright Data’s scalable web data collection, businesses can grow from a small operation to an enterprise by harnessing insights at every stage. Bright Data: Bright Data’s scalable web data collection Algolia: Algolia NeuralSearch is the world's only AI end-to-end Search and Discovery Platform combining powerful keyword and natural language processing in a single API. Algolia: AI end-to-end Search and Discovery Platform

Meet WISE MARKET, Winner of Startups of The Year 2024 in Delaware City/Supply Chain Tech (SaaS AI)

In certain rooms - rooms where rulers of countries plan the future, billionaires decide what comes next, and culture quietly shifts, Gurps Rai is already there. He’s not loud. He doesn’t need to be. Rai isn’t part of the Web3 conversation - he’s beyond it. Armed with his signature black hat and black t-shirt, he’s writing the code, signing the contracts and delivering the infrastructure governments and Fortune 500 companies rely on today. The Co-Founder and CEO of droppGroup, Rai has spent the past decade building what the likes of Google are only starting to imagine - an intelligent, tokenized global operating system - one where AI agents transact, value flows freely and governments plug into programmable economies as easily as launching an app. The Architect With No Blueprint Long before crypto had coin tickers and crypto VCs had Telegram groups, Rai was making his own rules. Raised with nothing, he learned to navigate the world by instinct, hunger and sheer force of will. That same drive still burns today - only now it propels a company with active Web3 deployments inside Saudi Aramco, Cisco, Oracle and multiple governments across the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. From oil to AI to tokenization, droppGroup has become the invisible infrastructure behind the next internet. And the world’s most powerful people are paying attention - even if the public hasn’t caught on yet. The Infrastructure Beneath It All At the heart of Rai’s empire is droppOne - an AI-native, quantum-resistant blockchain stack that doesn’t just enable Web3... it powers nations, automates industries and monetizes machine intelligence at scale. The platform connects enterprise-grade systems with decentralized finance, real-world asset tokenization and autonomous agents. We're not talking beta launches. We’re talking deployed systems inside sovereign infrastructure, with single source contracts signed at ministerial levels and integrations stretching from smart cities to central banks. We're not talking beta launches. We’re talking deployed systems inside sovereign infrastructure, with single source contracts signed at ministerial levels and integrations stretching from smart cities to central banks. Engineering the Agent Economy NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang predicts that billions of AI agents will reshape our world, working alongside humans in real time. Rai is building the system that makes that prediction executable. Through droppOne, autonomous agents can already trade, negotiate, settle contracts and complete complex tasks, with full wallet functionality and cross-chain interoperability. This isn’t a vision board. It’s running infrastructure - today. And Rai believes that in a decade, we won’t call this the “agent economy.” “We’ll just call it the economy.” From Homeless to Head of the Table Rai wasn’t born into access - he earned it. Raised with nothing, he came up hustling through the City of London FX world, moved into crypto before it had a name and never looked back. After purchasing his first Bitcoin in 2011, Rai co-founded The Bitcoin-VEN Syndicate Fund in 2013, built off of his early involvement with VEN, the world’s first digital currency launched by Hub Culture in 2007. That early financial backbone afforded Rai something most don’t have - the freedom to think generationally. Not for the quarter. Not even for the decade. But for the next century and the systems that will shape it. To ensure the continued growth of innovation technology globally He’s been helping sovereigns design tokenization frameworks ever since - including Bermuda in 2016 and multiple GCC governments today. Global Access. Local Impact. Unmatched Velocity. You won’t find Rai on the conference circuit giving panel soundbites. You’ll find him flying between Riyadh, New York and London - wherever decisions are actually made. He’s inside blockchain advisory meetings with world leaders. He’s helped stand up sovereign infrastructure. He’s closing multi-billion dollar partnerships at the intersection of data, AI and capital markets. But what makes it uncanny is how fast it’s all happening. droppGroup isn’t a whitepaper and a vision board, it’s a functioning ecosystem with a global footprint, delivering across industries while most Web3 companies are still stuck in pilot purgatory or the MeMe coin rollercoaster. One night he’s ringside in Riyadh watching Usyk vs Fury whilst rubbing shoulders with the likes of His Excellency Turki Al-Sheikh and Cristinao Ronaldo, the next he’s in a closed-door session with central banks, engineering the next layer of sovereign digital rails. The Economy - Redesigned From the Ground Up What Rai is building isn’t just infrastructure - it’s a full redesign of how the economy works. He’s launching systems that allow AI agents to negotiate, execute and settle transactions on behalf of people, companies and even governments. He’s putting intellectual property owners and AI developers into the same loop, enabling fair attribution, monetization and adaptive licensing, turning the chaos of generative AI into a functioning creative economy. He’s even tokenizing sovereign assets at scale - real estate, energy, infrastructure, through the same stack that lets machines communicate value at machine speed. In the future Rai’s actively building, value flows at the speed of light - and everyone, human or machine, holds the keys to own it… Built to Outlast the Buzz Call it infrastructure. Call it a protocol. Call it the rails for a programmable world. droppGroup is building the layer zero for the next internet, with Rai setting the tempo - fast, global and just far enough out in front to remain untouchable. You might not see his name trending. But if you look hard enough - at the documents, the deals and the pipes beneath the hype - you’ll find Gurps Rai’s fingerprints everywhere. Because when you’re building something that will outlive hype, headlines and even platforms - you don’t need to talk about it. You just make sure the world runs on it. In certain rooms - rooms where rulers of countries plan the future, billionaires decide what comes next, and culture quietly shifts, Gurps Rai is already there. He’s not loud. He doesn’t need to be. Gurps Rai Rai isn’t part of the Web3 conversation - he’s beyond it. Armed with his signature black hat and black t-shirt, he’s writing the code, signing the contracts and delivering the infrastructure governments and Fortune 500 companies rely on today. The Co-Founder and CEO of droppGroup , Rai has spent the past decade building what the likes of Google are only starting to imagine - an intelligent, tokenized global operating system - one where AI agents transact, value flows freely and governments plug into programmable economies as easily as launching an app. droppGroup The Architect With No Blueprint The Architect With No Blueprint Long before crypto had coin tickers and crypto VCs had Telegram groups, Rai was making his own rules. Raised with nothing, he learned to navigate the world by instinct, hunger and sheer force of will. That same drive still burns today - only now it propels a company with active Web3 deployments inside Saudi Aramco, Cisco, Oracle and multiple governments across the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. From oil to AI to tokenization, droppGroup has become the invisible infrastructure behind the next internet . droppGroup the invisible infrastructure behind the next internet And the world’s most powerful people are paying attention - even if the public hasn’t caught on yet. The Infrastructure Beneath It All The Infrastructure Beneath It All At the heart of Rai’s empire is droppOne - an AI-native, quantum-resistant blockchain stack that doesn’t just enable Web3... it powers nations, automates industries and monetizes machine intelligence at scale. droppOne The platform connects enterprise-grade systems with decentralized finance, real-world asset tokenization and autonomous agents. We're not talking beta launches. We’re talking deployed systems inside sovereign infrastructure, with single source contracts signed at ministerial levels and integrations stretching from smart cities to central banks. We're not talking beta launches. We’re talking deployed systems inside sovereign infrastructure , with single source contracts signed at ministerial levels and integrations stretching from smart cities to central banks. deployed systems inside sovereign infrastructure Engineering the Agent Economy Engineering the Agent Economy NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang predicts that billions of AI agents will reshape our world, working alongside humans in real time. Rai is building the system that makes that prediction executable. Through droppOne, autonomous agents can already trade, negotiate, settle contracts and complete complex tasks, with full wallet functionality and cross-chain interoperability. This isn’t a vision board. It’s running infrastructure - today. And Rai believes that in a decade, we won’t call this the “agent economy.” “We’ll just call it the economy.” From Homeless to Head of the Table From Homeless to Head of the Table Rai wasn’t born into access - he earned it. Raised with nothing, he came up hustling through the City of London FX world, moved into crypto before it had a name and never looked back. After purchasing his first Bitcoin in 2011, Rai co-founded The Bitcoin-VEN Syndicate Fund in 2013, built off of his early involvement with VEN , the world’s first digital currency launched by Hub Culture in 2007. VEN Hub Culture That early financial backbone afforded Rai something most don’t have - the freedom to think generationally. Not for the quarter. Not even for the decade. But for the next century and the systems that will shape it. To ensure the continued growth of innovation technology globally He’s been helping sovereigns design tokenization frameworks ever since - including Bermuda in 2016 and multiple GCC governments today. Global Access. Local Impact. Unmatched Velocity. Global Access. Local Impact. Unmatched Velocity. You won’t find Rai on the conference circuit giving panel soundbites. You’ll find him flying between Riyadh, New York and London - wherever decisions are actually made. He’s inside blockchain advisory meetings with world leaders. He’s helped stand up sovereign infrastructure. He’s closing multi-billion dollar partnerships at the intersection of data, AI and capital markets. But what makes it uncanny is how fast it’s all happening. fast droppGroup isn’t a whitepaper and a vision board, it’s a functioning ecosystem with a global footprint, delivering across industries while most Web3 companies are still stuck in pilot purgatory or the MeMe coin rollercoaster. One night he’s ringside in Riyadh watching Usyk vs Fury whilst rubbing shoulders with the likes of His Excellency Turki Al-Sheikh and Cristinao Ronaldo, the next he’s in a closed-door session with central banks, engineering the next layer of sovereign digital rails. The Economy - Redesigned From the Ground Up The Economy - Redesigned From the Ground Up What Rai is building isn’t just infrastructure - it’s a full redesign of how the economy works. He’s launching systems that allow AI agents to negotiate, execute and settle transactions on behalf of people, companies and even governments. He’s putting intellectual property owners and AI developers into the same loop, enabling fair attribution, monetization and adaptive licensing, turning the chaos of generative AI into a functioning creative economy. He’s even tokenizing sovereign assets at scale - real estate, energy, infrastructure, through the same stack that lets machines communicate value at machine speed. In the future Rai’s actively building, value flows at the speed of light - and everyone, human or machine, holds the keys to own it… In the future Rai’s actively building, value flows at the speed of light - and everyone, human or machine, holds the keys to own it… In the future Rai’s actively building, value flows at the speed of light - and everyone, human or machine, holds the keys to own it… Built to Outlast the Buzz Built to Outlast the Buzz Call it infrastructure. Call it a protocol. Call it the rails for a programmable world. droppGroup is building the layer zero for the next internet, with Rai setting the tempo - fast, global and just far enough out in front to remain untouchable. droppGroup You might not see his name trending. But if you look hard enough - at the documents, the deals and the pipes beneath the hype - you’ll find Gurps Rai’s fingerprints everywhere. Because when you’re building something that will outlive hype, headlines and even platforms - you don’t need to talk about it. You just make sure the world runs on it.

The Man & the Company Rewiring the World in Silence

The Man and the Company Rewiring the World in Silence (Людзі і кампанія, якія ўмацавалі свет)

Der Mann und die Firma, die die Welt in Stille neu verbinden

Ο άνθρωπος και η εταιρεία επανασυνδέοντας τον κόσμο στη σιωπή

El hombre y la compañía reencuentran el mundo en silencio

Mies ja yritys, joka yhdistää maailman hiljaisuudessa

『The Man & the Company Rewiring the World in Silence』

Cilvēks un kompānija, kas klusumā atkārto pasauli

Човекот и компанијата што го враќаат светот во тишина

Człowiek i firma w milczeniu ożywiają świat

The Man & the Company Rewiring the World in Silence - உலகை அமைதியாக ஒப்பிடுதல்

The Man and the Company Rewiring the World in Silence (مرد اور کمپنی جو دنیا کو سکون میں دوبارہ منسلک کرتی ہے)

Umntu & I-Company Rewiring I-World In Silence

When my startup CEO friend Michelle (who wished to remain anonymous) launched her SaaS platform in 2023, she immediately sought venture capital. It seemed like the obvious path: raise funds, grow fast, raise more. Two years later, she's building her second startup with a completely different approach: bootstrapping. "I'm not alone," she tells me. "A quarter of my network has shifted from chasing VCs to self-funding." She's right. According to Pilot's comprehensive 2025 Founder Salary Report, bootstrapping among startups has surged by 57% compared to last year, jumping from 11.5% to 18% of surveyed founders. This dramatic shift represents one of the most significant changes in startup funding strategy in recent years — and reflects deeper transformations in how founders are approaching business building in today's economic climate. 2025 Founder Salary Report 2025 Founder Salary Report The Great Funding Reset The most striking finding from Pilot's survey of 1,844 founders isn't just who's funding their companies — it's how those funding decisions impact their personal finances. The median founder salary has plummeted 43%, from $132,000 in 2024 to just $75,000 in 2025. This isn't simply a story about belt-tightening. It signals a fundamental rethinking of the relationship between personal compensation, company capitalization, and sustainable growth. The venture capital landscape that fueled previous startup generations has shifted dramatically. "What's particularly notable is the decline in smaller deal sizes," explains the report, noting that while last year's VC funding appears up 7% overall, that increase came almost entirely from mega-deals. For early-stage companies and smaller raises, the funding environment has become significantly more challenging. The Capital Efficiency Mandate The rise in bootstrapping coincides with another compelling trend: nearly a third (31%) of founders report that they determine their salary based primarily on "what the startup can afford." This capital efficiency mentality pervades today's startup ecosystem. Among bootstrapped founders, the self-imposed austerity is particularly pronounced. The data shows that 80% of bootstrapped founders pay themselves less than $100,000 — with many citing a preference to "fund operations" as their primary reason for keeping their compensation low. What's striking is the mindset shift this represents. Rather than raising venture capital to fuel rapid growth at all costs, today's founders increasingly view controlled spending and operational discipline as competitive advantages. The AI Factor: Build More With Less Perhaps surprisingly, this bootstrapping trend coincides with a massive increase in AI-focused startups, which nearly tripled from 14% to 40% of surveyed companies. This seeming contradiction actually makes perfect sense: AI technologies enable founders to accomplish more with smaller teams and less capital. While AI founders do pay themselves somewhat more than the overall average ($90,000 median versus $75,000), they're still operating with significantly greater capital efficiency than founders in previous years. The technological leverage provided by AI tools allows these companies to build sophisticated products with minimal headcount — the perfect scenario for bootstrapping. The Geography of Self-Funding Location continues to exert a powerful influence on startup economics. While the median salary for founders in the San Francisco Bay Area stands at $103,000, their counterparts in "Other US" regions make do with just $65,000. Interestingly, these regional salary differences often correlate with bootstrapping rates. Areas with lower costs of living frequently show higher percentages of self-funded ventures, creating regional ecosystems where bootstrapping becomes self-reinforcing. The 11-Employee Threshold Pilot's data reveals another fascinating pattern: founder salaries increase with team size but plateau after reaching 11-25 employees. This "magic number" appears to represent a tipping point where companies achieve sufficient operational scale to support more sustainable founder compensation. For bootstrapped companies, this milestone takes on even greater significance. Reaching this threshold often marks the transition from survival mode to sustainable growth — all without diluting ownership through external investment. Why Bootstrapping Now? Several factors drive this bootstrapping shift: Changing Investor Expectations: VCs increasingly demand clearer paths to profitability before investing, making bootstrapping a necessary first step even for companies that eventually plan to raise.
Accessible Technology: Cloud infrastructure, open-source tools, and AI capabilities dramatically reduce startup costs, making self-funding viable for businesses that would have required significant capital just years ago.
Changing Founder Demographics: The report shows younger founders (20-29) actually command higher salaries than their older counterparts, suggesting a generational shift in how entrepreneurs view the traditional sacrifice narrative. Changing Investor Expectations: VCs increasingly demand clearer paths to profitability before investing, making bootstrapping a necessary first step even for companies that eventually plan to raise. Accessible Technology: Cloud infrastructure, open-source tools, and AI capabilities dramatically reduce startup costs, making self-funding viable for businesses that would have required significant capital just years ago. Changing Founder Demographics: The report shows younger founders (20-29) actually command higher salaries than their older counterparts, suggesting a generational shift in how entrepreneurs view the traditional sacrifice narrative. The Bootstrapping Playbook for 2025 For founders considering the bootstrapped path, Pilot's data suggests several strategic approaches: Embrace Capital Constraints: Rather than viewing limited funding as a weakness, successful bootstrappers treat it as a forcing function for creativity and focus. The most effective bootstrapped founders ruthlessly prioritize efforts that drive revenue, not just growth.
Plan for the 11-Employee Milestone: Structure your business model and pricing to support reaching the 11-employee threshold, where founder compensation typically stabilizes. This often means charging premium prices and focusing on high-margin services or products.
Consider Geographic Advantages: While the report shows highest salaries in tech hubs like San Francisco and Boston, it also reveals that bootstrapped founders in lower-cost regions can achieve profitability faster while maintaining better personal economics. Embrace Capital Constraints: Rather than viewing limited funding as a weakness, successful bootstrappers treat it as a forcing function for creativity and focus. The most effective bootstrapped founders ruthlessly prioritize efforts that drive revenue, not just growth. Plan for the 11-Employee Milestone: Structure your business model and pricing to support reaching the 11-employee threshold, where founder compensation typically stabilizes. This often means charging premium prices and focusing on high-margin services or products. Consider Geographic Advantages: While the report shows highest salaries in tech hubs like San Francisco and Boston, it also reveals that bootstrapped founders in lower-cost regions can achieve profitability faster while maintaining better personal economics. A New Era of Founder Economics The 57% surge in bootstrapping signals a fundamental recalibration of how founders approach building companies, balancing personal sustainability with business growth. For today's founders, the bootstrapping path offers something increasingly valuable: optionality. By building businesses that can thrive without external capital, entrepreneurs gain negotiating leverage with potential investors while preserving the freedom to chart their own course. As one bootstrapped founder put it: "My first company was valued at $20 million, but I couldn't afford a house. This time, I'm building a business that pays me first."

Bootstrapping Surge: Why 57% More Founders Are Self-Funding in 2025

Author:
(1) Marcel Valový, Department of Information Technologies, Prague, Czech Republic (marcel.valovy@vse.cz). Table of Links Abstract and 1. Introduction 2 Research Settings 3 Methods 3.1 Instruments and 3.2 Quantitative Analysis 3.3 Thematic Analysis 4 Results 4.1 Quantitative Results 4.2 Qualitative Results 5 Discussion and 5.1 Answering the research questions 5.2 Threats to validity and 5.3 Limitations and generalizability 6 Conclusion, Acknowledgments, and References ABSTRACT [Context] With the recent advent of artificially intelligent pairing partners in software engineering, it is interesting to renew the study of the psychology of pairing. Pair programming provides an attractive way of teaching software engineering to university students. Its study can also lead to a better understanding of the needs of professional software engineers in various programming roles and for the improvement of the concurrent pairing software. [Objective] This preliminary study aimed to gain quantitative and qualitative insights into pair programming, especially students’ attitudes towards its specific roles and what they require from the pairing partners. The research’s goal is to use the findings to design further studies on pairing with artificial intelligence. [Method] Using a mixed-methods and experimental approach, we distinguished the effects of the pilot, navigator, and solo roles on (N = 35) students’ intrinsic motivation. Four experimental sessions produced a rich data corpus in two software engineering university classrooms. It was quantitatively investigated using the Shapiro-Wilk normality test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to confirm the relations and significance of variations in mean intrinsic motivation in different roles. Consequently, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with the experiment’s participants. The qualitative data excerpts were subjected to the thematic analysis method in an essentialist way. [Results] The systematic coding interview transcripts elucidated the research topic by producing seven themes for understanding the psychological aspects of pair programming and for its improvement in university classrooms. Statistical analysis of 612 self-reported intrinsic motivation inventories confirmed that students find programming in pilot-navigator roles more interesting and enjoyable than programming simultaneously. [Conclusion] The executed experimental settings are viable for inspecting the associations between students’ attitudes and the distributed cognition practice. The preliminary results illuminate the psychological aspects of the pilot-navigator roles and reveal many areas for improvement. The results also provide a strong basis for conducting further studies with the same design involving the big five personality and intrinsic motivation on using artificial intelligence in pairing and to allow comparison of those results with results of pairing with human partners. 1 Introduction We believe that the psychology of pairing in software engineering should receive a new round of scientific attention due to the recent advent of artificially intelligent pairing partners in both Pilot (e.g., GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT) and Navigator (e.g., Grammarly but also ChatGPT) roles. The presented research results on pairing in software engineering can be used both to improve software engineering in university classrooms and to develop better AI pairing software. In our study, the independent variable is represented by the chosen software engineering role, where we differentiate between the pair programming pilot and navigator roles and the solo role. Pair programming is an agile software development practice where two programmers collaborate on the same task using one computer and a single keyboard [20]. One takes on the pilot role and writes the code. The other simultaneously takes on the navigator role, thinking about the problem and conceptualizing the solution, analyzing the written code, providing feedback, and addressing issues. The last two decades of research on pair programming have examined its effects on performance, code quality, knowledge sharing, and other aspects concluding that it is beneficial in both professional and educational settings [e.g., 3, 10, 18]. Per the seminal meta-analysis paper, pairing is faster when the task complexity is low and yields code solutions of higher quality when the task complexity is high [10]. A similar author collective also studied the moderating relation of personality on those positive effects but has not found much statistical significance [9]. Our paper differs significantly from all previous studies as it uses a revised experimental design based on [1] that distinguishes the effects in the pilot, navigator, and solo roles, not just “pair” and “solo”, and invites the moderating personality factors. It also focuses on a more nuanced metric called “intrinsic motivation”, which is a predictor of the previously studied variables such as performance. Finally, it studies the effects per individual, not per pair. The dependent variable in our study is intrinsic motivation. Per the Self-determination theory, it exists in the relationship between individuals and activities [16]. Each individual is intrinsically motivated for some activities and not others. In humans, intrinsic motivation is a prototypical example of autonomous behavior, being willingly or volitionally done, as opposed to heteronomous actions, which are subject to external rewards or pressures (ibid.). Neither was allowed in our controlled experiments. This paper will report on the psychological aspects of pair programming, or pairing, in general. Initially, we tap into the overall motivational effects of the agile practice using statistical analysis of 612 motivational inventories from four experimental sessions in two undergraduate classrooms. Afterward, we utilize the thematic analysis to discover the reoccurring themes about pairing by probing into students’ feelings, attitudes, and values. The themes are pairing constellations, feedback, task complexity, soft and social skills, psychological aspects, role-specific insights, and perception of “the perfect pair programmer” and his traits. Research questions: RQ1: Are both pair programming roles intrinsically more motivating to students in university classrooms than solo? RQ2: What are the psychological aspects of pairing? This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED license. Author: (1) Marcel Valový, Department of Information Technologies, Prague, Czech Republic (marcel.valovy@vse.cz). Author: Author: (1) Marcel Valový, Department of Information Technologies, Prague, Czech Republic (marcel.valovy@vse.cz). Table of Links Abstract and 1. Introduction Abstract and 1. Introduction 2 Research Settings 2 Research Settings 3 Methods 3 Methods 3.1 Instruments and 3.2 Quantitative Analysis 3.1 Instruments and 3.2 Quantitative Analysis 3.3 Thematic Analysis 3.3 Thematic Analysis 4 Results 4 Results 4.1 Quantitative Results 4.1 Quantitative Results 4.2 Qualitative Results 4.2 Qualitative Results 5 Discussion and 5.1 Answering the research questions 5 Discussion and 5.1 Answering the research questions 5.2 Threats to validity and 5.3 Limitations and generalizability 5.2 Threats to validity and 5.3 Limitations and generalizability 6 Conclusion, Acknowledgments, and References 6 Conclusion, Acknowledgments, and References ABSTRACT [Context] With the recent advent of artificially intelligent pairing partners in software engineering, it is interesting to renew the study of the psychology of pairing. Pair programming provides an attractive way of teaching software engineering to university students. Its study can also lead to a better understanding of the needs of professional software engineers in various programming roles and for the improvement of the concurrent pairing software. [Objective] This preliminary study aimed to gain quantitative and qualitative insights into pair programming, especially students’ attitudes towards its specific roles and what they require from the pairing partners. The research’s goal is to use the findings to design further studies on pairing with artificial intelligence. [Method] Using a mixed-methods and experimental approach, we distinguished the effects of the pilot, navigator, and solo roles on (N = 35) students’ intrinsic motivation. Four experimental sessions produced a rich data corpus in two software engineering university classrooms. It was quantitatively investigated using the Shapiro-Wilk normality test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to confirm the relations and significance of variations in mean intrinsic motivation in different roles. Consequently, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with the experiment’s participants. The qualitative data excerpts were subjected to the thematic analysis method in an essentialist way. [Results] The systematic coding interview transcripts elucidated the research topic by producing seven themes for understanding the psychological aspects of pair programming and for its improvement in university classrooms. Statistical analysis of 612 self-reported intrinsic motivation inventories confirmed that students find programming in pilot-navigator roles more interesting and enjoyable than programming simultaneously. [Conclusion] The executed experimental settings are viable for inspecting the associations between students’ attitudes and the distributed cognition practice. The preliminary results illuminate the psychological aspects of the pilot-navigator roles and reveal many areas for improvement. The results also provide a strong basis for conducting further studies with the same design involving the big five personality and intrinsic motivation on using artificial intelligence in pairing and to allow comparison of those results with results of pairing with human partners. 1 Introduction We believe that the psychology of pairing in software engineering should receive a new round of scientific attention due to the recent advent of artificially intelligent pairing partners in both Pilot (e.g., GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT) and Navigator (e.g., Grammarly but also ChatGPT) roles. The presented research results on pairing in software engineering can be used both to improve software engineering in university classrooms and to develop better AI pairing software. In our study, the independent variable is represented by the chosen software engineering role, where we differentiate between the pair programming pilot and navigator roles and the solo role. Pair programming is an agile software development practice where two programmers collaborate on the same task using one computer and a single keyboard [20]. One takes on the pilot role and writes the code. The other simultaneously takes on the navigator role, thinking about the problem and conceptualizing the solution, analyzing the written code, providing feedback, and addressing issues. The last two decades of research on pair programming have examined its effects on performance, code quality, knowledge sharing, and other aspects concluding that it is beneficial in both professional and educational settings [e.g., 3, 10, 18]. Per the seminal meta-analysis paper, pairing is faster when the task complexity is low and yields code solutions of higher quality when the task complexity is high [10]. A similar author collective also studied the moderating relation of personality on those positive effects but has not found much statistical significance [9]. Our paper differs significantly from all previous studies as it uses a revised experimental design based on [1] that distinguishes the effects in the pilot, navigator, and solo roles, not just “pair” and “solo”, and invites the moderating personality factors. It also focuses on a more nuanced metric called “intrinsic motivation”, which is a predictor of the previously studied variables such as performance. Finally, it studies the effects per individual, not per pair. The dependent variable in our study is intrinsic motivation. Per the Self-determination theory, it exists in the relationship between individuals and activities [16]. Each individual is intrinsically motivated for some activities and not others. In humans, intrinsic motivation is a prototypical example of autonomous behavior, being willingly or volitionally done, as opposed to heteronomous actions, which are subject to external rewards or pressures (ibid.). Neither was allowed in our controlled experiments. This paper will report on the psychological aspects of pair programming, or pairing, in general. Initially, we tap into the overall motivational effects of the agile practice using statistical analysis of 612 motivational inventories from four experimental sessions in two undergraduate classrooms. Afterward, we utilize the thematic analysis to discover the reoccurring themes about pairing by probing into students’ feelings, attitudes, and values. The themes are pairing constellations, feedback, task complexity, soft and social skills, psychological aspects, role-specific insights, and perception of “the perfect pair programmer” and his traits. Research questions: RQ1: Are both pair programming roles intrinsically more motivating to students in university classrooms than solo? RQ1: Are both pair programming roles intrinsically more motivating to students in university classrooms than solo? RQ2: What are the psychological aspects of pairing? RQ2: What are the psychological aspects of pairing? This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv available on arxiv

Pair Programming: The Buddy System, But With Fewer Bugs (Hopefully)

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Nashville, and it's not just in the music industry. On December 6, 2024, over 100 tech-savvy entrepreneurs and small business owners converged at Topgolf Nashville with the largest startup and small business accounting firm in the US - Pilot for their inaugural "Entrepreneur Exclusive: Nashville" event. The gathering aimed to equip local businesses with actionable strategies to navigate the challenges of 2025, with a special focus on leveraging technology for growth. The Tech-Driven Entrepreneurial Boom Recent data from LinkedIn's Economic Graph team shows a 29% surge in new business formations since last year, more than doubling since 2020. This trend aligns with U.S. Census Bureau data, indicating that Americans are embracing entrepreneurship at near-record rates. Technological advancements, shifting work priorities, and pandemic-induced necessity are key drivers of this boom. Key Takeaways from the Event The Superfan Formula: Turning Users into Advocates Speaker: Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans Brittany Hodak, renowned for her work with brands like Amazon and Disney, delivered a compelling keynote on transforming customers into passionate advocates. In the tech industry, where user retention is critical, her insights were particularly resonant. “The most effective strategy to stand out in a saturated market is to create superfan customers who will become advocates for your brand. When you over-deliver for customers, they become invested in your success and spread the word to people they care about,” Hodak emphasized. “When your customers can't stop talking about you, you will very quickly transform from being seen as something of a commodity provider, to a category of one — even if you're operating in a very competitive space.” Cash Flow Mastery: Financial Strategies for Tech Startups Speakers: Phil Shmerling, SVP at Studio Bank Cole Levin, Principal of CFO Services at Pilot In a fireside chat, Shmerling and Levin tackled the intricacies of funding growth in the tech sector. They discussed optimizing cash flow, securing venture capital, and navigating the complex funding landscape of 2025. “Our proprietary data shows 30% of Tech startups have less than 6 months of runway left,” Levin advised. “So knowing your burn rate, forecasted burn rate and cash runway is crucial. Tech startups need to be agile in financial planning to attract investors. Building Teams and Partnerships in Tech Speakers: Sherry Stewart Deutschmann, Founder and CEO of BrainTrust Kelley Griggs, Founder of StartupNash Moderator: Sam Davidson, CEO of Nashville Entrepreneur Center This panel delved into the importance of cultivating strong teams and leveraging local networks. With Nashville's growing tech scene, building a skilled workforce and strategic partnerships is more important than ever. Addressing the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report Requirement The company also discussed the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report filing deadline under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Many attendees were unaware of this new federal mandate, which requires businesses to report their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) by January 1, 2025. Failure to comply can result in substantial fines and even criminal penalties. Recognizing this, Pilot offered free BOI filing services for eligible Nashville businesses. The Role of Technology in Empowering SMBs Technology was a recurring theme throughout the event, not just as an industry but as a tool for empowerment. Discussions covered: -Automation in Finance: Leveraging fintech solutions to streamline bookkeeping and financial planning. -Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing analytics to inform business strategies and improve customer experiences. -Cybersecurity: Protecting digital assets in an increasingly connected world. As 2024 draws to a close, Nashville's tech entrepreneurs are gearing up for a dynamic year ahead. Key strategies highlighted during the event include: -Embracing Emerging Technologies: Staying ahead by adopting AI, machine learning, and other cutting-edge technologies. -Focus on Customer Experience: Differentiating through exceptional service and personalized solutions. -Financial Preparedness: Proactive financial planning to navigate economic uncertainties. By combining expert insights, practical strategies, and opportunities for collaboration, the event equipped entrepreneurs with the tools needed to thrive in 2025. As new challenges arise, particularly in compliance and economic shifts, the tech community in Nashville demonstrates a commitment to mutual support and innovation. Events like this not only inform but also inspire, fostering a culture where technology and entrepreneurship can flourish. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Nashville, and it's not just in the music industry. On December 6, 2024, over 100 tech-savvy entrepreneurs and small business owners converged at Topgolf Nashville with the largest startup and small business accounting firm in the US - Pilot for their inaugural " Entrepreneur Exclusive: Nashville " event. The gathering aimed to equip local businesses with actionable strategies to navigate the challenges of 2025, with a special focus on leveraging technology for growth. Pilot Entrepreneur Exclusive: Nashville The Tech-Driven Entrepreneurial Boom The Tech-Driven Entrepreneurial Boom Recent data from LinkedIn's Economic Graph team shows a 2 9% surge in new business formations since last year, more than doubling since 2020. This trend aligns with U.S. Census Bureau data, indicating that Americans are embracing entrepreneurship at near-record rates. Technological advancements, shifting work priorities, and pandemic-induced necessity are key drivers of this boom. 9% surge in new business formations since last year, Key Takeaways from the Event The Superfan Formula: Turning Users into Advocates The Superfan Formula: Turning Users into Advocates Speaker: Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans Brittany Hodak, renowned for her work with brands like Amazon and Disney, delivered a compelling keynote on transforming customers into passionate advocates. In the tech industry, where user retention is critical, her insights were particularly resonant. “The most effective strategy to stand out in a saturated market is to create superfan customers who will become advocates for your brand. When you over-deliver for customers, they become invested in your success and spread the word to people they care about,” Hodak emphasized. “When your customers can't stop talking about you, you will very quickly transform from being seen as something of a commodity provider, to a category of one — even if you're operating in a very competitive space.” “The most effective strategy to stand out in a saturated market is to create superfan customers who will become advocates for your brand. When you over-deliver for customers, they become invested in your success and spread the word to people they care about,” Hodak emphasized. “When your customers can't stop talking about you, you will very quickly transform from being seen as something of a commodity provider, to a category of one — even if you're operating in a very competitive space.” Cash Flow Mastery: Financial Strategies for Tech Startups Cash Flow Mastery: Financial Strategies for Tech Startups Speakers: Phil Shmerling, SVP at Studio Bank Cole Levin, Principal of CFO Services at Pilot In a fireside chat, Shmerling and Levin tackled the intricacies of funding growth in the tech sector. They discussed optimizing cash flow, securing venture capital, and navigating the complex funding landscape of 2025. “Our proprietary data shows 30% of Tech startups have less than 6 months of runway left,” Levin advised. “So knowing your burn rate, forecasted burn rate and cash runway is crucial. Tech startups need to be agile in financial planning to attract investors. “Our proprietary data shows 30% of Tech startups have less than 6 months of runway left,” Levin advised. “So knowing your burn rate, forecasted burn rate and cash runway is crucial. Tech startups need to be agile in financial planning to attract investors. Building Teams and Partnerships in Tech Building Teams and Partnerships in Tech Speakers: Sherry Stewart Deutschmann, Founder and CEO of BrainTrust Kelley Griggs, Founder of StartupNash Moderator: Sam Davidson, CEO of Nashville Entrepreneur Center This panel delved into the importance of cultivating strong teams and leveraging local networks. With Nashville's growing tech scene, building a skilled workforce and strategic partnerships is more important than ever. Addressing the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report Requirement Addressing the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report Requirement The company also discussed the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report filing deadline under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Many attendees were unaware of this new federal mandate, which requires businesses to report their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) by January 1, 2025. Failure to comply can result in substantial fines and even criminal penalties. Recognizing this, Pilot offered free BOI filing services for eligible Nashville businesses. The Role of Technology in Empowering SMBs The Role of Technology in Empowering SMBs Technology was a recurring theme throughout the event, not just as an industry but as a tool for empowerment. Discussions covered: -Automation in Finance: Leveraging fintech solutions to streamline bookkeeping and financial planning. -Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing analytics to inform business strategies and improve customer experiences. -Cybersecurity: Protecting digital assets in an increasingly connected world. As 2024 draws to a close, Nashville's tech entrepreneurs are gearing up for a dynamic year ahead. Key strategies highlighted during the event include: -Embracing Emerging Technologies: Staying ahead by adopting AI, machine learning, and other cutting-edge technologies. -Focus on Customer Experience: Differentiating through exceptional service and personalized solutions. -Financial Preparedness: Proactive financial planning to navigate economic uncertainties. By combining expert insights, practical strategies, and opportunities for collaboration, the event equipped entrepreneurs with the tools needed to thrive in 2025. As new challenges arise, particularly in compliance and economic shifts, the tech community in Nashville demonstrates a commitment to mutual support and innovation. Events like this not only inform but also inspire, fostering a culture where technology and entrepreneurship can flourish.

Nashville Tech Entrepreneurs Unlock 2025 Growth Strategies at Pilot's 'Entrepreneur Exclusive' Event

Hey Hackers! scoutlabs has been nominated in HackerNoon's Startups of The Year 2024 awards in Budapest, Hungary under the Emerging Tech category. Please vote for us here: https://hackernoon.com/startups/europe/europe-budapest-hungary?stup=66f317326ea4677e23d84783&embedable=true Read more about us below to understand why we deserve your vote. Meet scoutlabs We are addressing the intersection of food insecurity, climate change, and sustainable farming with the worlds densest digital insect trap network. Our vision is to help 90 million family farms move from guess work to a more data led decision process to run their increasingly complex farm ecosystems, initially in pest pressure eating up to 40% of their yield but later into affordable weather and soil health technology, all key components of growing our food sources. The Winning Team Donat Posta, CEO, co-founder

He comes from a multigenerational family farm in Hungary. He saw first hand the growing pest insect problem and given the climate change acceleration and weather changes forced his family to look at new ideas to use technology to forward predict the when and how to fight insect pest pressure.
He was recognized among

Forbes 30 under 30
SVG Thrive 2022 cohort
776 Climate Fellow
Sigma Squared Fellow Jimmy Fong

“If we don’t solve climate, no other problems really matter.”
scoutlabs is his 5th startup
Ex CCO of SEON- fastest and largest growing Anglo Hungarian tech story.
3 other startups hyperscaled and bought by Visa, Ingenico and Amex
Product led growth nerd What scoutlabs does differently Our solution stands out in the market due to its unparalleled affordability and direct-to-grower distribution model. Because we were started from a farmer perspective this was an original design. Unlike competitors, our digital trap network is 10-30 times more affordable, even more cost-effective than traditional manual traps. This affordability enables widespread adoption, achieving high trap density, which translates to greater accuracy in pest pressure monitoring. Our farmer-first approach ensures that the technology fits seamlessly into existing cost structures and farming practices, making it a practical and attractive option for growers. How we acquire and retain customers Our business model is centered around a product-led growth strategy, targeting individual farmers directly (B2C). We offer an affordable subscription fee of 69 euros per growing season per trap, making our solution 10-30 times more cost-effective than more complex alternatives. This low-cost approach encourages widespread adoption among growers. We deliver our products through a direct-to-grower distribution model, ensuring easy access and installation. Our traps are designed for simplicity, requiring only a 1-minute DIY setup, eliminating the need for expensive on-field installation teams. This ease of use further enhances the appeal and accessibility of our product. By charging a subscription fee, we ensure a recurring revenue stream, while the affordability and ease of installation drive product-led growth. This model supports rapid scalability and adoption, allowing us to quickly expand our market reach and impact on sustainable pest management practices. Milestones and achievements We have over 1500 devices deployed in the US, Latam, EU and Africa in pilot stage and taking orders with the largest Agbusiness in the current growing season- this is expected to >10x by the end of this year. What Startups of The Year means to us Participating in HackerNoon’s Startups of the Year is a great opportunity for us at scoutlabs to gain visibility within the tech and startup ecosystem. We're excited to share our journey of building innovative IoT solutions for pest monitoring, which supports farmers operating on thin margins and promotes food security by optimizing pest control methods. Being part of this initiative allows us to connect with a broader community of innovators, investors, and potential partners. Vote for us today! Welcome to HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year 2024 interview series, spotlighting startups from around the world that are changing the way we live, one solution at a time. If you’ve been nominated, create a brand profile and answer these questions here.
Want to nominate a startup? Follow the steps here.Looking for inspiration? Check out how other startups responded to last year’s Startups of The Year interview questions and examples of company responses here, here, and here. Wanna use this template? Click here. Hey Hackers! scoutlabs has been nominated in HackerNoon's Startups of The Year 2024 awards in Budapest, Hungary under the Emerging Tech category. HackerNoon's Startups of The Year 2024 Emerging Tech Please vote for us here: Please vote for us here: https://hackernoon.com/startups/europe/europe-budapest-hungary?stup=66f317326ea4677e23d84783&embedable=true https://hackernoon.com/startups/europe/europe-budapest-hungary?stup=66f317326ea4677e23d84783&embedable=true Read more about us below to understand why we deserve your vote. Meet scoutlabs We are addressing the intersection of food insecurity, climate change, and sustainable farming with the worlds densest digital insect trap network. Our vision is to help 90 million family farms move from guess work to a more data led decision process to run their increasingly complex farm ecosystems, initially in pest pressure eating up to 40% of their yield but later into affordable weather and soil health technology, all key components of growing our food sources. The Winning Team Donat Posta, CEO, co-founder

He comes from a multigenerational family farm in Hungary. He saw first hand the growing pest insect problem and given the climate change acceleration and weather changes forced his family to look at new ideas to use technology to forward predict the when and how to fight insect pest pressure.
He was recognized among

Forbes 30 under 30
SVG Thrive 2022 cohort
776 Climate Fellow
Sigma Squared Fellow Donat Posta, CEO, co-founder He comes from a multigenerational family farm in Hungary. He saw first hand the growing pest insect problem and given the climate change acceleration and weather changes forced his family to look at new ideas to use technology to forward predict the when and how to fight insect pest pressure.
He was recognized among

Forbes 30 under 30
SVG Thrive 2022 cohort
776 Climate Fellow
Sigma Squared Fellow He comes from a multigenerational family farm in Hungary. He saw first hand the growing pest insect problem and given the climate change acceleration and weather changes forced his family to look at new ideas to use technology to forward predict the when and how to fight insect pest pressure. He was recognized among

Forbes 30 under 30
SVG Thrive 2022 cohort
776 Climate Fellow
Sigma Squared Fellow He comes from a multigenerational family farm in Hungary. He saw first hand the growing pest insect problem and given the climate change acceleration and weather changes forced his family to look at new ideas to use technology to forward predict the when and how to fight insect pest pressure. He was recognized among Forbes 30 under 30
SVG Thrive 2022 cohort
776 Climate Fellow
Sigma Squared Fellow Forbes 30 under 30 SVG Thrive 2022 cohort 776 Climate Fellow Sigma Squared Fellow Forbes 30 under 30 SVG Thrive 2022 cohort 776 Climate Fellow Sigma Squared Fellow Jimmy Fong

“If we don’t solve climate, no other problems really matter.”
scoutlabs is his 5th startup
Ex CCO of SEON- fastest and largest growing Anglo Hungarian tech story.
3 other startups hyperscaled and bought by Visa, Ingenico and Amex
Product led growth nerd Jimmy Fong “If we don’t solve climate, no other problems really matter.”
scoutlabs is his 5th startup
Ex CCO of SEON- fastest and largest growing Anglo Hungarian tech story.
3 other startups hyperscaled and bought by Visa, Ingenico and Amex
Product led growth nerd “If we don’t solve climate, no other problems really matter.” scoutlabs is his 5th startup Ex CCO of SEON- fastest and largest growing Anglo Hungarian tech story. 3 other startups hyperscaled and bought by Visa, Ingenico and Amex Product led growth nerd “If we don’t solve climate, no other problems really matter.” scoutlabs is his 5th startup Ex CCO of SEON- fastest and largest growing Anglo Hungarian tech story. 3 other startups hyperscaled and bought by Visa, Ingenico and Amex Product led growth nerd What scoutlabs does differently Our solution stands out in the market due to its unparalleled affordability and direct-to-grower distribution model. Because we were started from a farmer perspective this was an original design. Unlike competitors, our digital trap network is 10-30 times more affordable, even more cost-effective than traditional manual traps. This affordability enables widespread adoption, achieving high trap density, which translates to greater accuracy in pest pressure monitoring. Our farmer-first approach ensures that the technology fits seamlessly into existing cost structures and farming practices, making it a practical and attractive option for growers. How we acquire and retain customers Our business model is centered around a product-led growth strategy, targeting individual farmers directly (B2C). We offer an affordable subscription fee of 69 euros per growing season per trap, making our solution 10-30 times more cost-effective than more complex alternatives. This low-cost approach encourages widespread adoption among growers. We deliver our products through a direct-to-grower distribution model, ensuring easy access and installation. Our traps are designed for simplicity, requiring only a 1-minute DIY setup, eliminating the need for expensive on-field installation teams. This ease of use further enhances the appeal and accessibility of our product. By charging a subscription fee, we ensure a recurring revenue stream, while the affordability and ease of installation drive product-led growth. This model supports rapid scalability and adoption, allowing us to quickly expand our market reach and impact on sustainable pest management practices. Milestones and achievements We have over 1500 devices deployed in the US, Latam, EU and Africa in pilot stage and taking orders with the largest Agbusiness in the current growing season- this is expected to >10x by the end of this year. What Startups of The Year means to us Participating in HackerNoon’s Startups of the Year is a great opportunity for us at scoutlabs to gain visibility within the tech and startup ecosystem. We're excited to share our journey of building innovative IoT solutions for pest monitoring, which supports farmers operating on thin margins and promotes food security by optimizing pest control methods. Being part of this initiative allows us to connect with a broader community of innovators, investors, and potential partner s . s Vote for us today! Vote for us today! Vote for us today! Welcome to HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year 2024 interview series, spotlighting startups from around the world that are changing the way we live, one solution at a time. If you’ve been nominated, create a brand profile and answer these questions here. Want to nominate a startup? Follow the steps here. Looking for inspiration? Check out how other startups responded to last year’s Startups of The Year interview questions and examples of company responses here, here, and here. Welcome to HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year 2024 interview series, spotlighting startups from around the world that are changing the way we live, one solution at a time. If you’ve been nominated, create a brand profile and answer these questions here . Startups of The Year 2024 create a brand profile create a brand profile create a brand profile here here Want to nominate a startup? Follow the steps here . here here Looking for inspiration? Check out how other startups responded to last year’s Startups of The Year interview questions and examples of company responses here, here, and here. Looking for inspiration? Check out how other startups responded to last year’s Startups of The Year interview questions and examples of company responses here , here , and here . last year’s Startups of The Year interview questions last year’s Startups of The Year interview questions here here here here here here Wanna use this template? Click here. Wanna use this template? Click here . here

Meet Scoutlabs, Startups of the Year 2024 Nominee

Decentralized Micro-Governance Model for the Kingdom of Tonga Based on Proof-of-Work Consensus

This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license.
Authors:
(1) Jeremiah Milbauer, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA (email: {jmilbaue | sherryw}@cs.cmu.edu);
(2) Ziqi Ding, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA (e-mail: {ziqiding | zhijinw}@andrew.cmu.edu)
(3) Tongshuang Wu, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction
Related Work
The NEWSSENSE Framework
Pilot Study
System Overview
Discussion
Conclusion, Limitations and Ethics, and References
A. Appendix: Prompt for Claim Extraction Abstract Reading and understanding the stories in the news is increasingly difficult. Reporting on stories evolves rapidly, politicized news venues offer different perspectives (and sometimes different facts), and misinformation is rampant. However, Existing solutions merely aggregate an overwhelming amount of information from heterogenous sources, such as different news outlets, social media, and news bias rating agencies. We present NEWSSENSE, a novel sensemaking tool and reading interface designed to collect and integrate information from multiple news articles on a central topic. NEWSSENSE augments a central, grounding article of the user’s choice by linking it to related articles from different sources, providing inline highlights on how specific claims in the chosen article are either supported or contradicted by information from other articles. Using NEWSSENSE, users can seamlessly digest and cross-check multiple information sources without disturbing their natural reading flow. Our pilot study shows that NewsSense has the potential to help users identify key information, verify the credibility of news articles, and explore different perspectives. We opensource NewsSense at github.com/jmilbauer/NewsSense, and a demo video is hosted at youtu.be/2D5LYbsQJak. 1 Introduction Why is it so hard, and so exhausting, to read the news? In the quest for knowledge, news readers today must contend with a rapidly evolving 24-hour news cycle, multiple news venues competing for attention and clicks, and the challenge of integrating fact-based reporting, opinion pieces, and social media commentary (Lazer et al., 2018; Benkler et al., 2018; Farkas and Schou, 2019). With news becoming increasingly politicized (Faris et al., 2017) readers also face the challenge of identifying and avoiding misinformation, disinformation, and hyperbolic “clickbait" as they try to remain informed about the world around them. Various solutions have been proposed to assist with users’ news reading. For example, media watchdog companies have created media bias charts to represent political leaning and credibility of news sources [1] [2]. However, these resources force users to rely on potentially untrustworthy third-party designations of media bias, which treat each news source as a whole, without digging into specific articles or topics. While novel automatic fact checking (Thorne et al., 2018) and fake news detection (Zhou and Zafarani, 2020; Chen et al., 2015) systems can provide verification per-article, these approaches typically rely on a preordained corpus of verified facts which cannot keep up with the always-evolving facts, and may not reflect user preferences or multilateral perspectives. Aggregating articles from heterogeneous sources seem a more promising direction for cross-checking new facts (without predetermined groundtruths) and collecting different perspectives, but existing attempts are still too coarse and overwhelming. For example, both Google News’ “Stories" [3] feature and Ground.news [4] collect articles about the same events but display them in the form of exhaustive lists – Users are still forced to read and compare each article on its own. We argue that instead of simply collecting and aggregating news articles, information and claims from multiple sources should be integrated in a way that allows users to identify fine-grained claim-level bias, spin, controversy, or evidence. We present NEWSSENSE, a novel framework for sensemaking within a cluster of documents, to address the three key problems of news reading – bias, factuality, and article overload – in a single streamlined interface. NEWSSENSE leverages existing modular NLP techniques to identify and link claims made across a cluster of news articles, such that these articles become references for each other. NEWSSENSE also displays the linking information using an interactive reading interface, which allows users to easily explore the cross-document connections without being overwhelmed. In pilot user studies, we see that the NEWSSENSE framework has the potential to help users identify key information, verify the credibility of news articles, and explore different perspectives. While NEWSSENSE is primarily implemented for news articles, our framework can be easily generalized to other assisted reading and cross-checking scenarios (e.g., compare multiple manuscripts in literature reviews). The key contributions of NEWSSENSE are: A pipeline for analyzing the connections between a collection of documents.


A two-stage method for efficiently computing cross-document links between claims that support or contradict each other, enabling “reference-free” fact checking.


A framework for visualizing cross-document connections, and integrating claims from multiple documents into a single reading experience. We conclude by discussing the generality and potential social benefits of NEWSSENSE. [1] https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-ratingmethods [2] https://adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/ [3] https://news.google.com/stories/ [4] https://ground.news This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Jeremiah Milbauer, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA (email: {jmilbaue | sherryw}@cs.cmu.edu); (2) Ziqi Ding, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA (e-mail: {ziqiding | zhijinw}@andrew.cmu.edu) (3) Tongshuang Wu, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: Authors: (1) Jeremiah Milbauer, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA (email: {jmilbaue | sherryw}@cs.cmu.edu); (2) Ziqi Ding, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA (e-mail: {ziqiding | zhijinw}@andrew.cmu.edu) (3) Tongshuang Wu, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Related Work The NEWSSENSE Framework Pilot Study System Overview Discussion Conclusion, Limitations and Ethics, and References A. Appendix: Prompt for Claim Extraction Abstract and Introduction Abstract and Introduction Related Work Related Work The NEWSSENSE Framework The NEWSSENSE Framework Pilot Study Pilot Study System Overview System Overview Discussion Discussion Conclusion, Limitations and Ethics, and References Conclusion, Limitations and Ethics, and References A. Appendix: Prompt for Claim Extraction A. Appendix: Prompt for Claim Extraction Abstract Reading and understanding the stories in the news is increasingly difficult. Reporting on stories evolves rapidly, politicized news venues offer different perspectives (and sometimes different facts), and misinformation is rampant. However, Existing solutions merely aggregate an overwhelming amount of information from heterogenous sources, such as different news outlets, social media, and news bias rating agencies. We present NEWSSENSE, a novel sensemaking tool and reading interface designed to collect and integrate information from multiple news articles on a central topic. NEWSSENSE augments a central, grounding article of the user’s choice by linking it to related articles from different sources, providing inline highlights on how specific claims in the chosen article are either supported or contradicted by information from other articles. Using NEWSSENSE, users can seamlessly digest and cross-check multiple information sources without disturbing their natural reading flow. Our pilot study shows that NewsSense has the potential to help users identify key information, verify the credibility of news articles, and explore different perspectives. We opensource NewsSense at github.com/jmilbauer/NewsSense, and a demo video is hosted at youtu.be/2D5LYbsQJak. aggregate integrate 1 Introduction Why is it so hard, and so exhausting, to read the news? In the quest for knowledge, news readers today must contend with a rapidly evolving 24-hour news cycle, multiple news venues competing for attention and clicks, and the challenge of integrating fact-based reporting, opinion pieces, and social media commentary (Lazer et al., 2018; Benkler et al., 2018; Farkas and Schou, 2019). With news becoming increasingly politicized (Faris et al., 2017) readers also face the challenge of identifying and avoiding misinformation, disinformation, and hyperbolic “clickbait" as they try to remain informed about the world around them. Various solutions have been proposed to assist with users’ news reading. For example, media watchdog companies have created media bias charts to represent political leaning and credibility of news sources [1] [2]. However, these resources force users to rely on potentially untrustworthy third-party designations of media bias, which treat each news source as a whole, without digging into specific articles or topics. news source While novel automatic fact checking (Thorne et al., 2018) and fake news detection (Zhou and Zafarani, 2020; Chen et al., 2015) systems can provide verification per-article, these approaches typically rely on a preordained corpus of verified facts which cannot keep up with the always-evolving facts, and may not reflect user preferences or multilateral perspectives. Aggregating articles from heterogeneous sources seem a more promising direction for cross-checking new facts (without predetermined groundtruths) and collecting different perspectives, but existing attempts are still too coarse and overwhelming. For example, both Google News’ “Stories" [3] feature and Ground.news [4] collect articles about the same events but display them in the form of exhaustive lists – Users are still forced to read and compare each article on its own. We argue that instead of simply collecting and aggregating news articles, information and claims from multiple sources should be integrated in a way that allows users to identify fine-grained claim-level bias, spin, controversy, or evidence. integrated We present NEWSSENSE, a novel framework for sensemaking within a cluster of documents, to address the three key problems of news reading – bias, factuality, and article overload – in a single streamlined interface. NEWSSENSE leverages existing modular NLP techniques to identify and link claims made across a cluster of news articles , such that these articles become references for each other. NEWSSENSE also displays the linking information using an interactive reading interface , which allows users to easily explore the cross-document connections without being overwhelmed. In pilot user studies, we see that the NEWSSENSE framework has the potential to help users identify key information, verify the credibility of news articles, and explore different perspectives. a cluster of news articles interactive reading interface While NEWSSENSE is primarily implemented for news articles, our framework can be easily generalized to other assisted reading and cross-checking scenarios (e.g., compare multiple manuscripts in literature reviews). The key contributions of NEWSSENSE are: A pipeline for analyzing the connections between a collection of documents. A two-stage method for efficiently computing cross-document links between claims that support or contradict each other, enabling “reference-free” fact checking. A framework for visualizing cross-document connections, and integrating claims from multiple documents into a single reading experience. A pipeline for analyzing the connections between a collection of documents. A pipeline for analyzing the connections between a collection of documents. A two-stage method for efficiently computing cross-document links between claims that support or contradict each other, enabling “reference-free” fact checking. A two-stage method for efficiently computing cross-document links between claims that support or contradict each other, enabling “reference-free” fact checking. A framework for visualizing cross-document connections, and integrating claims from multiple documents into a single reading experience. A framework for visualizing cross-document connections, and integrating claims from multiple documents into a single reading experience. We conclude by discussing the generality and potential social benefits of NEWSSENSE. [1] https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-ratingmethods [2] https://adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/ [3] https://news.google.com/stories/ [4] https://ground.news

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